1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for reading an image of an original put on a sheet table (or original table) of an image reading apparatus and processing and outputting the read image. More particularly, the invention relates to an image processing apparatus for reading, in a lump, images of a plurality of originals put on a sheet table and outputting the image every original, an image processing method, and a recording medium in which an image processing program has been recorded.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, image information is frequently handled in association with a development of a communication network, a realization of a high processing speed of a computer, and a realization of a large capacity of a storage medium. Particularly, such a request that image information fetched by a scanner or the like is intended to be read out more accurately and at a higher speed is increasing.
In the related arts, a method whereby a target object to be read is extracted from an original put on a sheet table and an original area of an original position, an original size, and the like is automatically determined has been known. A first method in the related art is a method of deciding the original area based on all of the extracted target objects. The first method in the related arts is a method which is effective when a fact that only a single original was put has previously been known.
A second method in the related art is a method of extracting each target object from a plurality of target objects and deciding an original area based on each of the extracted target objects. The second method has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-46731. According to the second method, since the number of originals is not limited to one, the area of each original can be determined with respect to each target object.
According to the first method in the related art for deciding the original area from all of the target objects, since the process is executed on the assumption that there is one original, there is such a problem that if a plurality of originals were put on the sheet table, the proper original area cannot be decided.
According to the second method in the related art, since each target object is extracted from a plurality of target objects and the original area is decided based on each of the extracted target objects, the proper original area can be decided. However, if a photograph, an image object, or the like is arranged in the original, such a possibility that each image data is extracted as an independent target object (one original) remains. As an example in the case where the photograph, image object, or the like is arranged in the original, there is a case where the original is an index in which thumbnail images of photographs are printed as a list, a reference for presentation in which a plurality of rectangular areas are arranged, or the like.
As mentioned above, there is such a problem that if the method in the related art whereby each target object is extracted from a plurality of target objects and the original area is decided by using the extracted target objects is used, the correct original area cannot be decided.
To solve the problem occurring in the case of deciding the original area, a method of allowing the user to select a proper one of the first and second methods in the related art for the original put on the sheet table by the user himself is considered. There is, however, a case where the beginner user or the like cannot discriminate which one of the processes is proper for the original put on the sheet table by himself.
Further, there is such a problem that since the operation “the user selects the proper process for the original put on the sheet table by himself” is added, the operation becomes complicated. Such a problem becomes an obstacle when realizing such a function that the user puts the original onto the sheet table and merely by pressing a “Read button”, an image of a proper reading area can be obtained according to the original.